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Cyril Ramaphosa promises cleaner politics after being sworn in as president of South Africa

Aislinn Laing, Cape Town

February 15 2018, 5:00pm, The Times

President Ramaphosa, right, taking the oath of office today. He said he would try to build bridges with other parties to revive the economyMike Hutchings/Reuters

Cyril Ramaphosa vowed to restore “dignity and accountability” to the South African presidency as he was sworn in today, marking the exit of the “toxic” Jacob Zuma.

Mr Ramaphosa, 65, said he would seek to build bridges with rival parties who repeatedly had clashed with Mr Zuma and the ANC over mounting evidence of corruption. The new president said tackling it was on his “radar”.

He made no mention of his predecessor, who accused Mr Ramaphosa in his resignation speech of reneging on a face-saving transition deal. The new president said that, where Mr Zuma had fallen short, he would do better.

Supporters of the new president dance and sing outside the parliament building in Cape TownNasief Maine/AP

“I do believe that when one is elected into a position of power you become a servant of the people of South Africa…